To Each His Own
by scribbler567
Summary: A drabble series which describes the relationship of the Fire Nation Prince and the Water Tribe peasant episode by episode. Eventually Zukka slash. Rated T for future chapters.
1. The Boy in the Iceberg

**The Boy in The Iceberg **

The small mound of snow sticking out of the ground caught the prince's eye. He steadied his hand on the telescope and smiled inwardly. The boy's smile was more a tug at the corner of his lips than a real grin. Nevertheless, he felt a sense of relief rush through him as he realized what he had found. He had found his honor.

The Southern Water Tribe. This was the place where the Avatar had been hiding. Zuko knew the peasants who lived in blocks of snow would be no match for his steel ship. He had one key weapon- fire, and even if the Avatar had mastered all four elements, the man was far too old to put up a fight. Taking a deep breath, Zuko felt the fire within him boil, warming his entire body so much that not even the temperatures of the South Pole could bring him down.

Zuko was high on victory that he could already taste. There was a great deal waiting for him beneath the ice.


	2. The Avatar Returns

**The Avatar Returns**

Sokka watched as the steel ship destroyed everything he had made to protect his village. He watched the snow crumble as he scurried back to avoid being crushed. Everything behind him faded as he realized that in the Southern Water Tribe it was him against the world. In a place filled with women and children, there was nobody else to stand guard. Sokka tried to be the best warrior he could, and he tried to stay strong for his people. When one had no training in how to be a warrior, it was hard to be confident.

That was what had made the Firebender so striking to the teenage boy. He was tall, dressed in red armor, followed by soldiers that he commanded. The only soldiers Sokka had were little boys who needed naps and bathroom breaks. Like the small boys, Sokka was only pretend.

But this Firebender wasn't. Sokka had made the mistake of charging after him, only to be thrown aside.

Although it was humiliating, Sokka couldn't help but be excited by his initial defeat. For once in his life there was a challenge, an enemy to face, and it was an enemy who seemed to be ruthless.

The Firebender couldn't have been much older than him, maybe by a year or so, and by one hit from him, Sokka could tell he was strong. He had obviously had much training, real training, and as Sokka struggled to pull himself from the mound of snow he was stuck in, he envied the soldier invading his home. He probably had a father who was around to train him and teach him how to defeat those in his way, even if he was evil.

The sound of his grandmother's gasp brought him back to reality, back from the fantasy of being a skilled warrior like the soldier of the Fire Nation. With all the force he could muster, Sokka pulled himself roughly from the mound of snow, landing hard on his bottom.

Gripping his boomerang in hand, Sokka charged at the soldier from behind, ready to show him that he wasn't just a peasant with no training, even if he was. If anyone was bold enough to hurt an old woman, he deserved punishment.

He had failed once more to hurt the solider, but Sokka knelt down and stood his ground. This time he got a closer look at the soldier who looked directly at him. A red scar ran down half of his face, making his scowl look all the more threatening. Their eyes met for a second, and as Sokka looked up at the angry, golden eyes, he felt rage build up inside himself.

Without breaking the eye contact, Sokka readied himself to fight and to prove himself a worthy opponent to the skilled bender.


	3. The Southern Air Temple

**The Southern Air Temple **

Zuko inhaled deeply as he prepared himself for the duel he was about to take part in. Trying to obey his uncle's teachings, he felt himself grow stronger. He was determined to defeat the man in front of him. Zhao was the only thing standing in his way, and Zuko had the power to bring him down.

Swallowing back the fear he had, Zuko thought of the Water Tribe boy who had made a pathetic attempt to attack him. Although around Zuko's age, the other teenager had no bending ability and no training to even try to protect his people. That had made Zuko feel all the more powerful. He was advanced in training and technique for his age, and that made him unstoppable against the Water Tribe Village he had raided. The teenager who had gone after him had looked pathetic, and Zuko had won.

Looking up, Zuko glared at Zhao. The man was only trying to capture the Avatar before him. Zhao didn't need to capture the Avatar; he already had all of the honor he could get. Zuko needed the Avatar. Zuko needed his honor. Fixing himself as powerful and unstoppable, Zuko rose to the challenge and readied his stance, firm and bold.


	4. The Warriors of Kyoshi

**The Warriors of Kyoshi **

As the bison carried them through the wind, Sokka leaned back against the saddle, slowly undoing his garments. He was proud to be wearing the same uniform as the powerful Kyoshi warriors, but at the same time he couldn't help but be slightly embarrassed by their feminine style. He wished he were as skilled as Suki and the other warriors with a more masculine exterior.

Once more his mind drifted back to the Fire Nation soldier who he now knew as Zuko. It seemed odd to know the name of an enemy and to be able to put that name to a face. The bastard was ruthless and wanted only to capture the Avatar and bring him to the Fire Nation. Sokka felt his blood run cold as he thought of what could happen to Aang in the hands of Zuko. The kid could be tortured and killed which would mean the war would finally be won, and even worse he would lose someone he was growing close to.

Yet, the envy that had been present within him before took over once more. As Sokka thought of the impression that Zuko must be able to make on women with his strength and power and masculinity, he felt himself cringe. He hated his boring life, where he made no difference and faced no challenges. He wished he could fight the way Zuko did, was powerful the way Zuko was, and was a man the way Zuko was. Of course, he didn't envy that the soldier was evil with evil intentions, but if Sokka had what he had for good intentions, then his life would have been a dream. _It's a shame_, Sokka thought as he slipped his traditional Water Tribe garments on, _that Zuko isn't on our side because then maybe I could learn a thing or two from him._

His sister's voice brought him back to the present, and his thoughts of Zuko drifted as quickly as they had come.


	5. King Of Omashu

_Sokka leaned over, dodging the fire being shot at him. It was a close call, but he had missed the flame just in time. As scared as he was of fighting the Firebender, his heart was racing with a sort of excitement, eager for the challenge._

_Throwing his boomerang and hitting his opponent's fists straight on, Sokka smiled to himself. He may not be a bender, but he could certainly defend himself with his surroundings enough to survive. His weapon came back to him as it always did, and he smirked at the soldier across from him. _

_As a blast of fire burned the tree behind him, Sokka jumped, but held his ground. "If you're really a warrior, fight without your bending. Just you and me, Zuko."_

_The boy with the scar raised his eyebrows. "Challenge accepted."_

_Sokka was the first to make a move; he was always overconfident in his abilities, and this time was no different because he was thrown to the ground with one hit. Unsure of what to do as the Firebender stood above him, Sokka kicked Zuko's ankles hard, watching as he stumbled and fell to the ground beside him. It was strange to be fighting with no bending and no weapons; it almost felt barbaric, but Sokka was glad to finally have a fair fight._

_Zuko's arm brushed against his as the Firebender stood, and Sokka felt the teenager's large muscles against his only slightly toned arms. He felt pathetic as he could see Zuko's shirt grow tighter on him the more he sweet and abs lay beneath it. Sokka was small and thin, barely made up of any muscle comparable to Zuko's. Nevertheless, Zuko was weak without his bending and it made him all the more vulnerable._

Sokka woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat, looking around to see neither Aang or Katara were awake. He ran his hands through his hair which was out of its normal ponytail and sighed. It wasn't the first time he had had a dream about fighting the Firebender, but it was the first time where his dream had made him think of Zuko's body. Sokka cursed himself for having thoughts about the Firebender's muscle and strength.

Zuko certainly wasn't somebody that Sokka looked up to so much that he would have thoughts about him. Of course Sokka wanted to be strong and powerful and skilled, but not so much that he wanted to think about the Firebender. In fact, Sokka tried to block all thoughts of the Fire Nation as often as he could. Why was he having dreams about someone who he hated?

He hated Zuko. Zuko was their enemy; he was trying to capture Aang and had almost destroyed Sokka's village. Zuko would always be their enemy. Yet, Sokka couldn't shake the thoughts of Zuko out of his head. The problem was that the thoughts were not about how much he hated the soldier, but of his body and muscle and training and sometimes his voice…

Sokka balled his hands into fists, shaking his head, careful not to make noise as he let out his frustration. If only he had a woman to think about, a woman's body to think of, a woman to dream of so he could stop thinking about a man in the way he should be thinking about a woman. Sokka wasn't having dreams of a sexual nature, but the vision of Zuko's sweaty body and defined abs had to leave his mind. It was a terrible thought to have and completely inappropriate. Part of the Water Tribe boy hoped that the dreams didn't become more…intimate.


	6. Imprisoned

Zuko slammed the door to his chambers, throwing off his uniform and stripping down to his underclothes. He threw the Water Tribe girl's necklace onto his bed and sunk down among the pillows. With the way the Avatar traveled, it would take time to hunt him down, and he was tired of searching. The Avatar was alive, and Zuko needed to be the one to capture him.

Zhao could not win, and Zuko was determined not to let him. The other man had a fleet of ships behind him; Zuko had one ship and his uncle. He needed to be smarter and quicker than Zhao could ever be.

Picking up the necklace once more, Zuko ran his fingers over the delicate carving. The Southern Water Tribe had reminded him of a group of uncivilized people. Their necklaces were the prime example, made of wood and ribbon. In the Fire Nation, his mother had worn diamonds and expensive jewels when she had been the Fire Lady. But of course, those days were gone as was his mother.

Even the fighting style in the Water Tribe had been uncivilized. The small, uncoordinated teenager that had gone after him was pathetic. How any non-bender with no weapon thought he would ever be a match to Zuko was beyond the prince's knowledge.

Somehow, the image of the other teenager was stuck in Zuko's head. The boy, although small, had something about him that had made him an intriguing opponent (not that strength wise he could even be considered an opponent). Sokka, was that his name? Sokka had had a passion about him that Zuko never would. Zuko was determined, but not passionate. He had no cause to fight for, no person to fight for; the only thing he had was his father who had banished him, and even so Zuko was only capturing the Avatar for his own honor, not his father's. Everything Zuko did was for himself. Sokka had others to do things for, and although he would never admit it to anyone, that made Zuko a little jealous.


	7. Winter Solstice Part 1

Sokka watched as the young boy was losing more and more to the spirit monster. Aang looked helpless being out alone and trying to fight without any sort of team. As much as Sokka wanted to help, he listened to his sister and stayed back.

He wanted Aang to have the chance to do his Avatar thing, but at the same time, he wanted to fight too. Sokka needed another opponent that wasn't a ruthless Firebender, and he needed an opponent mostly to get the thoughts of his fight with Zuko out of his head. Each night, the thoughts kept coming back to haunt him, and every time he woke up from a dream, Sokka was growing angrier and angrier with himself. As much as Aang needed to defeat the sprit monster, Sokka needed to replace Zuko so he could think of himself as a warrior even without the soldier to fight against. He needed more than one enemy, and this was his chance.

Finally ignoring his sister's cries for him to stay back, Sokka ran towards Aang and offered his help to fight. Little did Sokka know that just moments later he would hopelessly fail once more, only to be dragged into the Spirit World.


	8. Winter Solstice Part 2

The chains were binding. Zuko had given up on fighting against their grip for he knew that until the Avatar came out he was stuck in the same position.

There was silence in the temple as they waited for the Avatar to emerge from sanctuary, and from the way Zuko was bound; he was facing directly towards the Avatar's friends.

Amidst the silence and the waiting, Zuko found his eyes wandering to the boy. He looked around his age, but he was much smaller in build. It was obvious that he wasn't physically trained the way that Zuko was, most likely due to the defenseless village he came from. However, he was wearing a sleeveless shirt that showed his arms had a certain amount of muscle tone to them, even if it wasn't bulked with muscle. Zuko found it was somewhat attractive the way his arms looked, small but strong. His legs were in tight blue leggings which…

Zuko slammed his head back against the pole he was tied to. It was a loud enough noise to draw the attention of everyone in front of the door. He hadn't meant to draw attention, only to rid his head of the disgusting thoughts. He was thinking about the Water Tribe boy as if he were…attractive.

Sokka had looked over at him when he had made the banging sound against the pole, and Zuko found himself beginning to sweat when the blue eyes were on him. What the hell was wrong with him? His mission in the temple was to capture the Avatar and do it before Zhao, and when he was held as a captive, his only thoughts were of the enemy! Not only was he thinking about the enemy, but he was beginning to find the enemy attractive, and that enemy was a man.

"I must have been away from Mai too long," Zuko thought, "Otherwise, I would never find another man attractive."

The Water Tribe boy glared at him, but didn't look away when the others had. Zuko could still feel his eyes on him, and even his hands were sweating. Every time he looked at Sokka, he started to get those strange thoughts again.


	9. The Waterbending Scroll

As Sokka listened to the argument between Zuko and the pirates, he tried to think of something he could do. With both the pirates and Fire Nation teamed up, the three of them stood no chance. Suddenly it came to him, and before he thought Sokka said, "You're really going to hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?"

Zuko suddenly turned and glared at Sokka. "Don't listen to him! He's only trying to turn us against each other."

It was then Sokka realized that his plan wasn't going to go as smoothly as he thought. Zuko wasn't stupid; he knew Sokka's intentions, and he would do anything to get a hold of Aang. Katara and Aang looked like they were ready to kill him, but Sokka was determined to get them out of the situation. The more the pirates and Zuko were against each other, the easier it would be to fight.

"Your friend is the Avatar?" the pirate beside him asked, turning to look at Aang.

Scooting behind Aang, Sokka replied, "Sure is! And I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the Black Market than that fancy scroll." Trying to act as stupid and innocent as possible, Sokka realized that Zuko's face was turning pale, angrier than ever. Somehow it made Sokka want to continue with his charade.

"Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko shouted at him. It was the first time that Zuko had ever spoken directly at him, and Sokka felt his stomach turn at the direct speech. As much as he wanted to say something back to Zuko, and as strange as he could feel himself reacting to Zuko recognizing him, he had to play stupid and innocent in front of the pirates and his friends.

"I'm just saying, that's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life." His goofy act that he put on in front of his friends and enemies alike was becoming harder to maintain the more he felt Zuko's glaring eyes on him. Yet, it wasn't fear of the soldier that was making this hard; it was something else that he couldn't identify.

Later, after they escaped, Sokka fell asleep, the only sound in the silence of the night Zuko's voice shouting, "Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant," in Sokka's head. As nasty as it was, Sokka hadn't let the insult bother him; he was only thinking of the way Zuko had acknowledged him, and he didn't let himself feel guilty or disgusting with himself. That night he let the thoughts be.


	10. Jet

Sokka sat with his back against the wood of the tree-house, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched Aang and Katara sleep. He was filled with anger at both of them for trusting Jet and forcing him to stay in the hideout. The kid was a monster, and Sokka had known from the start that he was going to be trouble. The darker it got in the room, the creepier it got. There was no way that he would be able to sleep. It was going to be a long night.

It was a cold night, and although he had a sleeping bag to use, Sokka wanted to keep it rolled up in case they decided to make a fast escape. The idea of escape wasn't a strange idea considering the way Jet was. In fact, Sokka was tempted to leave himself, but he wasn't about to leave the other two in danger. There was no doubt in his mind that Jet was dangerous.

Closing his eyes, but not sleeping, Sokka tried to think of something other than Jet and his Freedom Fighters. Sokka tried hard to think of something that would make him happy or distract him and something that wasn't Zuko.

Sokka thought of Suki, of the way the two had flirted during his time on Kyoshi Island. Suki had been a beautiful girl and it was the first time Sokka had had interaction with a girl his own age that wasn't his sister. He had liked it, especially since she was a warrior, but he had liked it because he had learned something. As much as he had tried to convince Suki and himself that he had feelings for her, he didn't. She had kissed his cheek and showed actual interest in him, yet Sokka didn't find himself constantly thinking about her and wanting her. Whether it was because they had only met once or because she just wasn't the one, Sokka didn't know. He was a teenage boy, for Spirit's sakes, and girls should make him excited, especially when he grew up without any girls his own age to be with. Somehow, Suki hadn't done that, at least not in a romantic way.

It wasn't that he hadn't liked her; he had. Sokka had really liked Suki because she showed great strength and was an amazing warrior and had taught him a lot about fighting, and she had even paid attention to him. He was nothing to look at and had no bending ability, but she had noticed him. Shouldn't that have been enough to make him weak at the knees? And she had been pretty too. There was no denying that she was a pretty girl, but he also thought Katara was pretty, and that didn't mean he had to have feelings for her.

Yet, despite not having a romantic attraction to Suki, he had tried to pretend like he had. Sokka didn't know why he felt the need to pretend to be infatuated with the girl, but he had. Part of him was afraid that if Katara found out that he didn't have a girl that he liked, she would start to think he liked people other than girls, and he certainly couldn't have her think that. It was almost a crime in their culture to be homosexual, and Sokka didn't want to have any trouble with his family.

Sighing deeply, Sokka decided that he would soon find a girl to be with. It was almost inevitable that when they reached the Northern Water Tribe, which was far more populated, that he would be able to find a girl to be with. Maybe then, the odd thoughts of Zuko would fade away.


	11. The Great Divide

Sokka sat around the fire, eating the chicken that Zhang had brought with them. He felt a little guilty for eating the food that had put them all in danger, but he kept eating, knowing _he _hadn't done anything to put anyone in danger. Why should all the food go to waste?

He wasn't listening much to the story about the history of the rival between the Zhangs and the Gan Jin's, but he listened enough to know the basics. When the whole tribe had gone to bed in their tents, Sokka yelled after that he would catch up later.

The fire was still burning late into the night, and Sokka found himself staring into the flames_. _The heat felt good against his cold face, and he rubbed his hands together to keep warm as it grew later into the night. As terrible as the situation was, crossing the canyon that is, he was slightly relieved to be on his own for once. Of course he was staying with the Zhang tribe, but he was without Katara and Aang. It gave him time to think without disturbance. He could be alone as long as he wanted.

Sokka sighed loudly, trying to gather his thoughts. The more he traveled with Aang, the more he was growing unsure of his own identity. Back in the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka had known who he was. He was the only man, and it was his duty to take care of everyone else. The women and children needed someone to protect them, and being he was the strongest, that was Sokka's job. Now, out in the real world, Sokka was lost. He was nothing compared to what others were. He wasn't a real warrior. He had no money. He had no strength against the benders. He was faced with a real enemy.

The problem was, it was Aang's job to defeat the Fire Nation. Although Aang and Katara were too nice to admit it, Sokka had no purpose in their group. He couldn't fight or defend himself against any fire or earth being hurled at him. He didn't even have a weapon besides him boomerang. He felt useless.

Sokka loved Aang and his sister, but he felt out of place with them. Sure, they all got along and loved each other, but being the only non-bender, he didn't belong. Nobody seemed to notice him when they went anywhere. Everyone would remember the Avatar or the fierce Water Bender, but who was Sokka? Sokka was just…there.

The only person who had given him any attention (although it was negative) was Zuko. Although Sokka stood no match against the fierce bender, Zuko had seen him as a threat when they were up against the pirates. Sokka's brain had challenged Zuko's plan, and that had irritated the Fire Bender. For once, Sokka had successfully caused a distraction and made a plan that had worked. On that one day, he had out done Zuko, and he hadn't needed bending to do it. Despite his envy of Zuko's strength and power, Sokka had felt like an almost equal match that day.

But that day was gone. Once more, he was in a situation where he was useless. Aang could fight off and canyon monsters with Air bending; Katara could do the same with water, and the canyon guide could do the same with Earth. What could Sokka do?


	12. The Storm

**A/N: This one is realllly short, so let me know how it was. I promise that the drabbles will get more exciting as the series progresses, so please just stick with me. I promise that it will get better! Please read and review, I'd love to know how you're liking or not liking this story. **

Zuko pulled his blanket further over his body, shaking from the cold of the ship. The storm had wet his hair and all of his clothes, so he was lying almost naked under his blankets. He hadn't heard the sounds of the storm in a good amount of time, so he assumed it was over. The prince knew he should check on his crew, but he didn't have the energy to move.

He was drained emotionally. That afternoon he had been meditating, and whenever he meditated, the concentration that it took to relieve his anger always tired him. Zuko always found it ironic that relaxing took so much more effort for him than not. When he went to bed at night, he was always exhausted, and he never felt rested when he woke up in the morning. It was a routine he was far too accustomed to.

The prince closed his eyes, trying to picture something that would help him relax. There was no peaceful place in his life or a person who he sought comfort in. It was just him and him alone. He longed for someone who would help him relax, even if they just made him laugh.


	13. The Blue Spirit

Sokka had never felt sicker in his life, and as he leaned back into the warmth of his sleeping bag, he sighed. His head felt heavy, and he was starting to feel dizzy. The last thing he could feel was Katara wetting his head with a cloth. It was then he fell asleep.

_Sokka leaned over, dodging the fire being shot at him. It was a close call, but he had missed the flame just in time. As scared as he was of fighting the Firebender, his heart was racing with a sort of excitement, eager for the challenge._

_Throwing his boomerang and hitting his opponent's fists straight on, Sokka smiled to himself. He may not be a bender, but he could certainly defend himself with his surroundings enough to survive. His weapon came back to him as it always did, and he smirked at the soldier across from him. _

_As a blast of fire burned the tree behind him, Sokka jumped, but held his ground. "If you're really a warrior, fight without your bending. Just you and me, Zuko."_

_The boy with the scar raised his eyebrows. "Challenge accepted."_

_Sokka was the first to make a move; but he made a move that neither would have ever expected. He lifted his hand as if he were going to punch when a sudden longing seized him. Whether it was conscious or not, he rested his hand on the reddened side of Zuko's face and cupped his cheek. The warrior leaned in and kissed him. _

_The kiss was light and tentative, both trembling terribly. Sokka was sure that Zuko could feel the shaking in his hand as it rested against his face. He was sure Zuko was going to push him away, but surprisingly he didn't. Their lips had only touched for a second, but when they pulled away the other boy looked at him. He said nothing, only stared. _

_The way Zuko's eyes filled with longing and some other emotion Sokka couldn't identify was what he had been waiting for. All the times that they had fought and been against each other had built up tension- tension that neither accepted. They were enemies, and they were two men. It was wrong._

_Yet, despite knowing it was wrong, Sokka responded when Zuko kissed him again, and this time the kiss lasted longer, tongues dancing and hesitant hands finding a place to rest on the other's body. Sokka squeezed Zuko's arm as they kissed more passionately, and when a moan emitted from the Firebender's mouth, Sokka felt himself grow aroused. Something about it being wrong made it feel so much better. _

If Sokka had not woken up with a fever that was making him hallucinate, then he would have been more concerned about his dream. It had to be a result of the fever, he told himself. He had had that dream before, and he had told himself he wouldn't think of Zuko like that anymore. He wouldn't think of his body or anything about him that wasn't bad. The way the fever was distorting reality had distorted the dream. Of course, Sokka had worried after last time that his dreams would become more intimate, but this wasn't the case. This was the fever and only the fever. Kissing Zuko? Having feelings for Zuko? It was more likely that he would become an Earthbender.


	14. The Fortuneteller

Sokka knocked hesitantly on the door. He was looking behind his shoulder in the darkness, making sure that nobody was around to see him. If Katara or Aang saw him at the door, he would be more embarrassed than ever. When nobody answered the door, his anxiety began to increase and he began to sweat. Knocking one more time, this time harder, he found that the door opened.

"Sokka?" Aunt Wu asked as her eyebrows rose. "I'm surprised to see you here. I thought that you didn't believe in my power!"

"I…I don't…I just wanted to know if you could read my palm. I wanted to know if there is any more that you know besides what you said earlier," he replied reluctantly. His voice was low, embarrassed by his curiosity.

"I would be delighted. Come in!" Aunt Wu moved aside so he could enter the building and her chambers. "Please, take a seat," she said as she shut the door and motioned to the cushions on the floor.

Sokka nodded and sat on the brightly colored pillows. The room was warm, and when he realized that he was alone, he felt his shoulders relax. He had made it without the others finding out.

Aunt Wu took a seat beside him. "Please, give me your palm."

Sokka extended his hand and watched as the older woman examined his palm. "Very interesting," she muttered.

"What's interesting?"

"You're very confused, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're very confused about your love life."

Sokka felt himself blush red in embarrassment. "Well, honestly, I don't really have one since we're traveling from across the world with Aang; I don't really have the chance."

"But I see that you have a strong, love. You don't have a wandering eye. I can see that you're after a very powerful bender, and it may be someone you least except."

"What do you mean? How can I love someone and not expect it?"

"What I told you earlier before I read your palm was not very wrong, Sokka," Aunt Wu said, dropping his hand out of hers. "Your life will be miserable, but only if you fail to tell yourself the truth. If you are honest with yourself, then I believe you and this bender will live a satisfying life. I see much struggle ahead for you emotionally. You're going to have to learn to accept yourself as you are, especially when it comes to your love life."

"Will she, this bender, be a Water bender?"

Aunt Wu smiled. "This bender will be the person you least expect."

Sokka stood up, throwing his arms up. "What does that mean?"

"It's something you will discover in time, Sokka."

"Well, where am I even going to meet them?"

"You will meet in very strange circumstances."

He groaned. "This is so ridiculous! You told Katara how many grandchildren she was going to have, but you can't tell me where I'm going to meet this person or anything about them?"

"It's something you must discover yourself, Sokka."

"I thought you were supposed to be all-knowing and a genius at predicting things!" Sokka's patience was running out. He had thought that seeing Aunt Wu would be somewhat useful, but her predictions were so vague that they hadn't answered any of his questions.

"I told you what I saw," she replied shortly. "That is all."

Sokka muttered a 'thank you' and left quicker than he had entered, but not before reminding Aunt Wu not to tell his sister he had visited her.


	15. Bato of the Water Tribe

Zuko was leaning with all of his weight on Iroh, his body still sore from being paralyzed. Iroh's strength had gotten him back to the ship, and for once it felt good for someone to be helping him. His uncle was taking care of him like nobody ever did, and Zuko savored the comfort while he could. Something about being cared for felt so right.

"There you go," Iroh said, helping Zuko sit on a bench near the ship's railing. "Take a rest for a while before bed."

"Thank you uncle," Zuko replied, gripping the edge of the railing to keep from falling off.

"Would you like a cup of tea? I'll bring you some if you'd like." Iroh smiled.

"No."

Iroh took a seat next to him, his body brushing Zuko's. He sighed. "Your form was very good today, Prince Zuko. You give the Avatar a very good fight."

"I did?" Zuko asked looking up.

"Yes, I'm very proud of you. But, Zuko, something is bothering you."

Zuko shifted uncomfortably, starting to get all of the feeling back into his legs. "Uncle, something is always bothering me. You would be upset too if you were banished from your own country by your father," he snapped.

"Something else," Iroh said, his voice still calm despite Zuko's rude tone. "Something else is bothering you. But I don't think it has anything to do with the Avatar."

Zuko sighed, his uncle knew him better than anyone else, and somehow he managed to get Zuko to open up emotions he never wanted to. Iroh had a calming presence that, in Zuko's chaotic life, brought him the only peace he had ever had.

"Yes," Zuko said quietly, ashamed at admitting his weakness. "Yes, there is something else bothering me…"

"Care to share?" Iroh asked.

"I…I don't know exactly what it is."

"Ah, sometimes the strongest emotions are the ones we cannot identify." Iroh shifted in his seat, wrapping an arm around Zuko. Normally the temperamental prince would have shoved him away, but he found himself leaning into the embrace, his body and mind exhausted. He couldn't remember ever being that tired.

"I keep…" Zuko was about to admit that he kept thinking about a certain Water Tribe boy, but he would never admit that to anyone…not even his uncle. Ever since he had stared at Sokka on the day of the solstice, the thoughts of Sokka's body had not left him alone. The more he tried to push the thoughts away, the more they came. The more he told himself that finding another man, an enemy, attractive, the clearer the image of the Water Tribe boy's body was. What the hell was wrong with him? His job was to capture the Avatar…he had been at sea too long.

"Keep what, Prince Zuko?"

Feeling his eyes sting with tears of frustration, Zuko blinked them back, turning away. "I'm so frustrated, Uncle. I'm never going to beat Zhao for the Avatar. He's too strong and too powerful. He's going to win, and then what am I supposed to do? Everything I know is going to be lost forever. I thought…I kept thinking I was going to get it back, that if I found the Avatar everything would go back to normal, but it isn't, is it?"

"Do you want the truth?" Iroh asked gently.

"Yes," Zuko replied, his voice hoarse.

"No, I don't think it's ever going to go back to normal, Zuko. Your destiny can be shaped by you and you alone. Your destiny is not properly shaped by somebody else, and that's what you're allowing. Your allowing your father to control your path. I don't think your place is to be obeying his orders. I—"

"Stop it!" Zuko shouted, tears finally leaking out of his eyes. "Stop it!" His hands were shaking; he knew Iroh was right, but he had hoped…he had hoped that Iroh would tell him what he wanted to hear. He wished his life would go back to normal, that the thoughts of the peasant would go away, and for his father to welcome him home again. He was a prince, and his life was being destroyed more and more each day. "You know nothing about my destiny! My destiny is to restore my honor!"

"Zuko, you asked for the truth."

"I…" Zuko's voice trailed off; he was tired and confused. "Goodnight, Uncle," he said quietly, storming to his chambers to gather his thoughts.


	16. The Deserter

Sokka walked quietly towards the edge of the river where Katara sat. She was crying and her hands were burned. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his anger at Aang boiling inside, but he needed to be calm for her. "Katara, I'm so sorry."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Aang didn't mean it…he was just being careless."

Sokka sat down beside her, gathering water in his hands and wetting her hands so she didn't have to do it herself. It was his job to protect her, and the one time he had turned his back, she had gotten hurt. She was his little sister, and he had failed to protect her. "He's an idiot," Sokka muttered, wincing as he watched her bite her lip in pain. "Maybe I shouldn't…" His voice trailed off, realizing that he wasn't helping her heal herself.

"Fire is dangerous," she replied. "Anybody can mess it up. Even the Avatar."

"I've seen Fire Benders who are more controlled than Aang." Sokka's thoughts went to Zuko. As much as he hated the element, the way that Zuko fought made it look more like an art. When he watched Zuko, it looked almost…almost amazing. Shaking his head, he looked at his sister's burns, telling himself fire could never be amazing, no matter who was using it…even if it was Zuko.

"Do you want me to go," he asked, embarrassed that he was of no help.

"I'll be alright. Make sure Aang is okay," she replied, smiling slightly, although Sokka could see through it.

Nodding, he walked away, looking back at his sister as she began dipping her hands into the river.


	17. The Northern Air Temple

Sokka had finally felt capable. He had found his strength, and he had found something that he exceled in. The war balloon, the battle, the defeat of the Fire Nation force. It had all been him. Sokka's plans and ideas had made a difference and won them a victory. For once in his life, he felt powerful.

It was at that point that he decided he was the plan guy. Sokka may not have been physically powerful, but he knew that he could read people well and find creative solutions. He had a talent in that aspect. Although he knew he wasn't the best, he was much more capable of details than Katara and Aang. He was more realistic than both of them, and he wasn't as ignorant of the world as they were. He knew the world was a scary place. You couldn't trust anyone.

Sokka had found his talent, and nobody, not even the Fire Nation could take it away.


	18. The Waterbending Master

**A/N: Hey guys, so I'm not sure about how these drabbles are going. Some episodes are easier than others, and there isn't ANY interaction between Zuko and Sokka in these earlier episodes. I plan to bring some surprises into Book 2: Earth, so stick with me for some romance thrown in where you might not expect it. Please review and let me know how you like the characterization, how the thoughts are developing in both of the characters and so on. Thanks so much for continuing to read **

"Zuko! Zuko! Where are you?" Iroh's voice echoed in the night, pain etched in his desperate tone. "Zuko! Zuko! Zuko?" His voice began fading as sobs took over where he had been shouting.

Zuko struggled to stay afloat in the water, kicking as hard as he could to stay up despite his painful burns. He tried to yell, but his voice was lost in the waves. He hadn't been in so much pain since his banishment.

Suddenly his uncle's face appeared over the dock, and Zuko reached out. "Uncle," he gasped. "Help."

The tears streaming down Iroh's face stopped when their eyes met. Immediately he reached out and grabbed Zuko out of the water, his strength surprising his nephew. He held Zuko in his lap as they sat on the dock, Zuko coughing up water, burns across his body, his clothes torn. The tight hold that Iroh held him in was painful, but Zuko didn't care. Sobs shook the old man's body, and Zuko felt safe.

"I was so scared. I thought I lost another son!"

Looking up at his uncle, Zuko felt tears sting his eyes. Another son? Iroh thought of him as his own son? "Uncle," he managed to croak out through his choking.

"Shhh, rest for now, don't say a word." Iroh's gentle, yet commanding voice made Zuko obey. He rested his head against his uncle's shoulder. As strange as he would have normally felt, Zuko found himself taking comfort in the slow rocking motion Iroh was making as he held him. The man's head was buried in Zuko's shoulder, still sobbing.

The sound of Iroh crying was heartbreaking, but it had brought Zuko to a realization: Iroh loved him, and Iroh loved him almost as much as his own son. The prince had always known that Iroh loved him, but the explosion had made him realize the depth of his love. He felt truly safe.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Iroh finally said, his voice still shaking. He helped Zuko to stand, beginning to walk away when he grabbed him into a tight hug. Zuko awkwardly hugged him back, his body aching like never before. "I love you, Zuko."

"I love you too, Uncle. Thank you."


	19. Seige of the North Part 1

Sokka stared at Yue, at the way she smiled, the way her cheeks blushed when they talked. She liked him. She really liked him. And Sokka had found that she was the only girl who had caught his eye and made him like her too.

The princess was a beautiful girl, funny, and graceful. She seemed delicate and innocent, but there was something about her that told him she wasn't as ignorant to the darkness of the world as she seemed to be. Yue made him feel like a man; she didn't overpower him and wasn't a strong fighter. She was weaker than he was, and he could feel like a man with her, a real man.

When she had leaned against him, the cold air making her shiver, he had been taken back. They were having an almost magical ride on Appa, the two bonding like he never believed they would have. He was proud of himself for making her fall for him and for finding someone who could make thoughts of Zuko vanish. Yue was the one; he knew it. Sokka could protect her so she didn't get hurt, and in doing that he could feel like a real man and a real warrior. She would need him.

That was the difference between Suki and Yue, and it was the difference that had made him fall for Yue. Yue was a delicate girl. She was a princess who needed his protection; she couldn't defend herself in a fight. Suki…well Suki could show Sokka up in a fight. She didn't need anyone to help her. Sokka needed to feel like a man; he needed Yue almost as much as she needed him.

The black soot brought him back out of his fantasy world, out of the world where he had found someone. The Fire Nation was attacking. The sight was too familiar. It seemed his happiness would be short lived.


	20. Seige of the North Part 2

**A/N: Yay! End of Book One! I can't wait to get started on Book Two! Let me know how it's going!**

Zuko settled against the wood of the raft, uncomfortable, but too tired to care. His body ached, the burns from the accident still fairly new. The cold seemed to go right through his body, even if he was a Firebender. The fight was over, at least for now.

_Zuko paced in front of the prisoner, feeling powerful as the boy in chains could do nothing to help himself. Zuko had him. "Now, if you cooperate, then I will keep you and your sister safe. If you don't, then you will all be in danger; I'll make sure of that."_

_The prisoner lifted his head, blue eyes meeting Zuko's gold eyes. His brown hair was scattered in pieces across his tan face. "I'll never tell you where he is. You can torture me all you like; you're never going to find him."_

_Lifting his hand, Zuko slapped the teenager across the face. "Shut up, peasant! Now you tell me where he is!"_

_The Water Tribe boy glared at him, spitting on the ground in front of Zuko's boots. "I'm not afraid of you, Zuko." _

_Zuko grabbed Sokka's collar. "You should be! Because I could kill you in one breathe. What can you do? You're just a defenseless peasant! You have no bending, no skills, nothing."_

_The other teenager threw his head back, his hands restricted by the chains holding him. Zuko watched the boy's motion, feeling his body begin to react the more he stared. Sokka was sweating, and his hair was loose across his shoulders. He looked, Spirits, he looked sexy. _

_Zuko looked closely into the prisoner's blue eyes, finding he lost himself for a few moments. "Do whatever you want, Zuko; you're never getting Aang. Just give it up!"_

It was night when Zuko woke up, sweating and trembling. What the hell had he just dreamt about? Iroh was asleep beside him, snoring louder than ever. Shaking off his thoughts, Zuko rolled over; he would sort out the dream another day. He needed rest.


	21. The Avatar State

Sokka was facing towards the wall, his back towards everyone else, just in case they woke up and could see him. It was a stupid thing to do, Sokka knew that, but his emotions were taking over, and he needed to find release.

Tears were silently running down his cheeks, spilling onto the blankets which were now wet. He was relieved that both his sister and Aang were asleep. Otherwise, if they had seen him, they would have been taken back. Between Yue's death and his never ending thoughts of Zuko, Sokka didn't know who he was. He didn't know where he belonged. Yue had made him the happiest he had been in a long time; she had taken his mind off of Zuko and the strange thoughts he was having about him. Zuko couldn't become his whole life, and that was happening. Thoughts and dreams about the Firebender were consuming his head, and Yue had made it all go away. Now, she was gone.

He slowly began to touch himself, stroking himself through the fabric of his pants. A groan caught in his throat, and he stopped short, afraid that someone had heard. Nobody in the room moved or stirred, and Sokka brought his hand back down, beginning the motions again.

Sokka had never pleasured himself before, never having the privacy to do so. He didn't know what had given him the urge to do so. As he developed a rhythm, Sokka's head was filled with images of Zuko— images of the bender shirtless, fighting, sweating, his hair down on his shoulders. Moaning as he increased the pace, Sokka didn't pay much attention to who could hear. He didn't care; it felt too good.

When he had finished, Sokka had sighed loudly, having finished and caught his breath again, his heart rate lowered. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, groaning loudly. It had felt so good, but what had made it so good were the images of Zuko, the thoughts of Zuko. He didn't care; if thinking of the Firebender was going to bring him such pleasures, it was worth it, at least that night.


	22. The Cave of Two Lovers

"What happened?" Zuko asked hoarsely, staring at the red scar that ran up Song's leg.

"The Fire Nation raided our village; they tried to hurt my grandmother, when she was still alive, and I jumped in front of her so the fire wouldn't burn her. Well, it burned me." She looked down, her face saddened. "I was only ten."

"I'm sorry." Silence took over where words would have been, and Zuko immediately felt uncomfortable. The girl knew nothing about him, and she was trying to get him to open up. He didn't want to open up, especially not to a stranger. She had no right prying into his business.

He shifted in his position. "So you and your uncle, are you close? He seems to care for you an awful lot…"

"Stop," Zuko said sharply, turning towards her and narrowing his eyes. He was frustrated and upset, and Song prying into places where she shouldn't wasn't helping. The prince knew that she meant well, but he didn't have the patience to put up with it. "Stop trying to get me to talk. It's not going to work, so just forget it!"

Song looked as if she were going to cry, and although Zuko felt bad, he didn't make a move to help. "Lee…I'm sorry…I…"

"Just leave me alone." Song looked down at her lap, tears in her eyes. She stood up and they didn't speak another word to each other.


	23. Return to Omashu

Sokka took the baby in his arms to let Katara sleep. She needed her rest, and Sokka knew that any attempt that he would make at sleeping would be a waste of time. At least the baby would occupy his time.

The little boy was cheerful, full of smiles and giggles; it was strange to think he came from the Fire Nation. He seemed so innocent. One day though, he would grow up to be a killer.

Sokka wondered if all citizens of the Fire Nation had started that innocent, if they had been born as a clean slate and corrupted as they grew older. Surely nobody was born evil; surely evil had been thrust upon them.

If the little boy in front of him had a chance to be raised by different parent, could he be spared of a life as the world's enemy? Did he have the potential to be good? The baby's small eyes said he did. For the first time, Sokka felt sorry for the Fire Nation children. They would never know that everything they were taught was wrong. Like this little boy, they would never have the chance to be good.

And that made his thoughts wonder to Zuko. What had Zuko been like as a child? Had he been as innocent as this baby? Maybe Zuko wouldn't have been so evil if he had only had a chance to be good. When you're taught as a child to kill and hate, then there is no way that you can be any other way.

Everyone was born innocent, and it was the Fire Nation that was corrupting these innocent minds. Zuko had the potential to be good, Sokka told himself. Zuko could have been good if he hadn't been raised to be bad. If Zuko could have been good, maybe Sokka's feelings weren't all that wrong.


	24. The Swamp

Zuko slipped the mask over his face, the blue paint freshly painted beneath his fingertips. It had been weeks since he had last worn the mask, and it was a feeling he had missed. He felt incomplete without his swords by his side, but soon enough he would have them again.

Putting on the mask changed Zuko. For a few hours, he was able to conceal himself from the rest of the world. He could wear the mask, and nobody would know that it was him. Nobody would see the scar on his face and grimace or look pitifully at him. Nobody would recognize him as a prince or as a _banished_ prince. Nobody could identify him. He could be whoever he wanted to be.

Whether he smiled or frowned, cried or laughed, nobody could see. No emotions were exposed, no expressions seen. It wasn't just a way to hide from the world, but it was a way Zuko could hide from himself which was what he was starting to fear above all.


	25. Avatar Day

He couldn't help but be disappointed by Suki's absence. A knot formed in his stomach when he heard she wasn't around. She had been the first girl who he had kissed, and although he hadn't felt much at the time, Sokka had been eager to see her again. After Yue's death, he knew that Suki may be able to fill the void left in his heart.

She wasn't there, and though Sokka knew that he had a job to do, his head was clouded with disappointment the rest of the visit. Sokka had wanted to see her again and he had wanted to know if the warrior could take his mind off of Zuko.

A few months before, she hadn't been enough to distract him from his thoughts about Zuko, but now, now that Yue _had _done it, Sokka was sure that Suki could be the one. Suki would have been able to make the thoughts disappear. They could have been happy, and she could have changed him. But, she was gone and the thoughts of the Firebender lingered.


	26. Blind Bandit

As Sokka watched the young girl take out a huge group of Earthbenders, his mouth fell open. For the first time in his life, he was watching a girl who wasn't weak. After his mother died, Sokka had found himself overly protective of other women, afraid that they too would be killed. And although Katara was anything but helpless, his view of women had forever been altered. Sokka felt the need to take care of women, that it was the man's job to make sure they didn't get hurt. He knew it was wrong, but he found women to be weaker than men.

It was all out of care and concern, but his mind had been set on the idea of women being weaker. Yet, as he watched Toph, the stubborn barriers in his mindset had broken slightly. She was a young, blind girl but she was more powerful than he could ever be. They needed her, he thought. Even though she was a girl, they needed her. Maybe, not _all _women were helpless.


	27. Zuko Alone

Zuko was alone. If he had ever felt alone before, then he was surely alone now. He had left Iroh and had only the kindness of strangers to rely on.

The barn was cold, and although Zuko wanted to warm himself with his Firebending, he was afraid that any ashes or flames that would linger would get him discovered. If the family knew he was a Firebender, he would be thrown out. The little barn was the only place he had, at least for the night.

He thought of Sokka, what the teenager must be doing. He was probably sitting around a campfire, laughing and being part of a family. Spirits, he envied that boy. He envied him…and he longed for him.

Zuko felt himself growing harder the more he thought of Sokka. The harder he became, the more vivid the thoughts became. He was truly alone, so his thoughts would never be found out. In the darkness of the barn, with nobody to judge him, with no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed, he let his mind run free. He opened up to himself.

Was he gay? Zuko didn't know; he was a teenage boy who had been on a battleship for two years surrounded by only men. Whether that had taken its toll on him or if he truly had feelings and lusts for men, he didn't know nor did he care.

Zuko saw Sokka. The young boy was beneath him, hair spread out, sweating and looking up at him. Sokka licked his lips slightly, and they kissed. Zuko moaned aloud at the thought, reaching into the confines of his pants and stroking himself. He had never touched himself before. Even after all the years of being alone with no sexual activity, Zuko had never done it. But it felt good. He realized that the way his own hand felt would be nothing compared to what Sokka's would feel like. He wanted it to be Sokka. As strange, as wrong, as disgusting as the lust for the Water Tribe boy was, he wanted it. And as he caressed himself in the dark, Zuko let his thoughts be free. For once, he felt amazing.


	28. The Chase

The prince had a heart. Sokka could see it. The pain in the boy's eyes when he saw his Uncle go down was hard to watch. Sokka had felt an odd pain in his chest watching Zuko be as upset as he had been. Even the evil prince was capable of love.

That night when he made an attempt to fall asleep, Sokka only saw Zuko's eyes. His golden eyes had been filled with pain and sorrow, and Sokka had felt an urge to help. If the prince hadn't shot fire their way, then he would have gone over. As out of character as it would have been to help the prince, Sokka would have done it. He found that now, after seeing the pain that Zuko was going through, that his feelings weren't all lust, maybe, perhaps, he cared for the prince. Of course they were enemies, but maybe even enemies could care for each other's well-being. It would only be human to do so.


	29. Bitter Work

The rain was cold, hitting him hard and violently. If he wasn't in a strong stance, it would have knocked him off of the edge of the rock he was standing on. As he looked down, the water was crashing against the jagged rocks, dark and eerie. He could jump. He could jump, and it would all go away. If he jumped, he wouldn't have to battle himself or his nation of his family. Zuko could be at peace if he jumped.

But, somewhere deep inside him, he wasn't defeated. Even as he stood out in the middle of the storm, begging for the skies to hit him with lightening, he wasn't defeated. Inside him, he was still ready for the fight. He still wanted to show the world that he could fight back. And now, at least physically, he could. He had the power and the skill to redirect lightening. He could redirect nature, and that was a power nobody else had.

Yet, that night, unlike all the others, nature refused to throw anything at him. As he stood, waiting to get hit, waiting for something to strike as it always did, Zuko was untouched. He screamed and yelled, waiting, watching for something to hit him, but it never did.

The tears finally came, and he screamed. He sunk to his knees, sobbing. He was so angry and so confused. "Who am I?" he whispered into his knees and he pulled them against his chest. "Who the hell am I?"

As he became soaked in rain and in tears, Zuko felt the world crumble beneath him. His nails dug into his skin as he attempted to pull himself together. He had never once been so conflicted.


	30. The Library

It was a strange feeling, one that was lonely even for Sokka. Appa had always been there when they returned from a journey or escaped somewhere dangerous. He was always there to fly them to safety. He took care of the group more than anyone else.

He was gone, and although Sokka couldn't begin to imagine the pain that Aang must be in, he knew that he felt a void left by the bison's absence. He didn't blame Toph; the blind girl could only do so much. If she hadn't been there to hold up the sinking library, then they would all be gone, buried beneath the sand.

Yet, tears stung in his eyes. He had grown to love the animal. He was part of the group. His absence was hard. Aang was going to be heartbroken.


	31. The Desert

Ba Sing Se. Zuko was going to the Earth Kingdom city which not even the Fire Nation could touch. A sudden feeling of safety washed over him. After all of the running and all of the hiding, they would be safe. Even if it was only for a while, they would be safe.

Could this be the start of a new life? Zuko didn't know; he wasn't going to get his hopes up and think his life would change, but he still had a faint desire for things to change. He wanted change; he wanted a life where nobody knew his name or his story. It was a secret desire, but it was still in the back of the prince's mind. He had long since buried the silly fantasy, knowing his destiny was to capture the Avatar, but it hadn't gone away. It was still there, and now, it was coming out.


	32. The Serpent's Pass

A beautiful girl was coming on to him. She was ready to kiss him; she was admitting having feelings for him. Suki was finally back in his life, and she was willing to be a part of his life. It was everything he had wanted; ever since he had gone back to Kyoshi Island, he had been waiting for her, wanting to see her. Now she was there, and he was pulling away.

Was it because of Yue? Was it his grief over her that was stopping him from being with Suki? Was it his fear of losing another woman in his life? Was it fear of not being able to protect her? It was all of those things. Yue was still very much affecting him.

Yet, the dead princess wasn't the only one on his mind. Zuko. Zuko was in his dreams, both during the day and at night. The prince haunted his fantasies and was part of his deepest desires, both sexually and emotionally. What was it that a man who he would never have could keep himf rom being with a woman who wanted him? Suki was beautiful; she could make the thoughts of Zuko go away.

He knew that giving up a chance with Suki would be foolish. She would help him find himself. She could take away the thoughts of Zuko. Sokka knew that he had to be with her. Even if it went against the feelings he had for Zuko, he had to be with Suki. If he convinced the others he cared for her as a girlfriend, then maybe he could convince himself.

As Sokka lie awake in bed that night, he made himself a promise that he was going to make things right with Suki in the morning. He would build a relationship with her, and he wouldn't let her leave.


	33. The Drill

He had been friendly; he had been friendly so Iroh didn't scold him for being rude. Sure, he had gone with him to steal food, but that was out of concern for his own hunger. It wasn't the glory of being a good person that had made Zuko steal food with Jet. He had been hungry, and that was that.

Something about the way Jet smiled, the way he talked didn't sit right with Zuko. From the start he hadn't trusted the teenager. It was time for Zuko to be making a new start in a new city. He was smart enough not to throw it away. Joining some gang was surely a way to mess up what he hadn't even started yet.

As they rode into Ba Sing Se, Zuko closed his eyes, praying to the Spirits that Jet didn't show up again. He had had enough of the Freedom Fighter. Zuko was fighting for himself now.


	34. City of Walls and Secrets

Sokka had been pacing for over an hour. He was angry and confused. After all of their work, all of the struggles they had gone through to get to the Earth King, everything was ruined. The Dai Le would be constantly watching them, and the war was supposedly nonexistent in Ba Sing Se. How the hell could there be this much control over the people of the city?

"Sokka, you should get some rest," Aang said softly, walking towards Sokka and stopping him in his footsteps.

"I hate these people!" he growled, pushing the Avatar away. "We went through all of this to get here and now they won't let us even speak about the war let alone tell the Earth King! If we're going to win this war, then we're going to need to get to him somehow!"

Aang shook his head. "I know, and we're not going to stop until we get to him, Sokka. But, for tonight, you should sleep. We can't change it tonight. You need your rest."

"The whole world is counting on us!" Sokka exclaimed, scuffing his foot against the ground. "If we fail, the Fire Nation is going to win!"

"I know," Aang replied almost in a whisper. The young Airbender looked defeated. Suddenly, Sokka felt bad for adding more stress onto the kid. With Appa missing, he didn't need more to upset him.

"Aang, I'm sorry." Sokka hugged his friend. "I guess you're right. Let's get some sleep."


	35. Tales of Ba Sing Se

**A/N: So this is much longer than a drabble, but it's such an important part of the series! From now on, these drabbles are probably going to be getting a lot longer because the series allows for more interaction between Sokka and Zuko while staying canon. That was my goal for this series, was to stay so this is all canon. Here it goes! Enjoy and read and review **

Tale of Sokka and Zuko

Zuko didn't know how he had wound up in the alleyway. He had simply been looking for a way to get out of the tea shop and go somewhere that Jin wouldn't find him. He needed to clear his head, needed to be alone, and he needed to think. As badly as he hoped that Ba Sing Se was going to bring him great change, he had a feeling that his past was following closely behind him. It always did. No matter how badly he wanted to get away from it or how badly he wanted to start over, it would never leave. That was the nature of things. Zuko would always be the banished Fire Nation prince.

The street was dark; there was one lone street lamp flickering in the darkness. The nights in the city were silent. Knowing the strictness of the government, he figured there was probably some curfew he should be following. They seemed to control every other aspect of the citizens' lives, so why not control when they slept as well?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching him. He couldn't turn around because they would follow him. Zuko was surrounded by brick walls, and the longer he panicked, the closer the person got. Before he knew it, they had collided, and Zuko fell to the ground.

He couldn't make out the figure in the dark; he knew it was a man, and a hand reached out to help him up. Zuko took it, standing to face the stranger.

That was when his stomach knotted. His heart raced. His hands trembled. His breathing increased. His pants tightened. It was him.

"Zuko?"

Realizing he had just been called by his Fire Nation name, he grabbed the other by the collar, slamming him hard against the brick wall. "Don't call me that," he hissed.

"Did you think that you could hide from us in the same city?" The voice was so familiar, and Zuko felt his knees weaken, but he had to keep up his cold exterior. If he let any signs of weakness show to his enemy, he could be defeated.

"Shut up, peasant!" Zuko slapped him across the face.

"My name is Sokka, you know." Zuko let go of him, assuming that he would run. The boy stayed.

"What the hell do you want?" Zuko asked. "Can't you see that I'm done chasing you?"

"You were never chasing _me_," Sokka replied sarcastically. "It's Aang you were chasing."

Zuko closed his eyes tightly. As if he hadn't been confused before, being with the boy who had haunted his dreams for months, made Zuko want to slam his head into the brick wall. His hormones were raging; he wanted to take the boy right there. Yet, there were enemies. There were written enemies, and Sokka hated him. He began to walk away when the warrior grabbed his shoulder. "So what the hell _am_ I supposed to call you, huh?"

"Lee."

"Lee?" Sokka asked mockingly.

"What do you want? Why aren't you running off to tell your friends, to turn me in?"

"Apparently, I'm not talking to Zuko; I'm talking to Lee."

"Just shut up and go turn me in."

"See, I don't plan on doing that." Zuko was silent. "I plan to make this much harder for you."

"Can't you see that I'm trying to start a new life here? Just leave me alone." Zuko began to walk away once more, finding that Sokka called him again.

The warrior walked towards him, looking as closely to him as he could in the dark. Zuko felt his heart beating faster as Sokka came closer. "Starting a new life?"

"Yes," Zuko replied, licking his lips slightly. "I'm done chasing you people. Now leave me alone."

Suddenly, the other boy reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Neither spoke a word, but they were slowing moving towards each other, both looking the other in the eye. It was hard in the dark, but he could still make out the blue eyes that he had always dreamed of. Sokka's hand had somehow traveled down to Zuko's hips, and Zuko's hand had somehow wound up on Sokka's shoulder, and somehow, but neither would know, their lips wound up pressed against each other.

From the moment their lips touched, Zuko had felt a sensation ripple through his body. It felt so right while at the same time, he knew it was wrong. The warrior's tongue danced inside Zuko's mouth, Zuko holding the side of Sokka's face and deepening the kiss. He felt himself being turned and pressed against the wall, Sokka pressing his hips into him. Zuko moaned loudly, not the least bit embarrassed. It felt amazing. Sokka was hovering over him, his hands were shaking against the prince's chest. When they broke, Sokka looked down at him. His blue eyes met Zuko's golden, and Zuko felt himself felt. He closed his eyes, unable to believe that all of his fantasies, his dreams, were coming true. It seemed so unreal that he was with the boy who had haunted him for months and that the latter wanted him just as badly.

Sokka moved his hips so that their erections met, and Zuko sucked in his breath. "Oh god," he moaned out loud, quickly shutting his mouth when he realized what he had just said.

"Did you like that?" Sokka asked, a grin tugging at the side of his mouth.

"Don't tell anyone," Zuko replied, feeling his checks blush. He buckled his hips so they brushed against Sokka's tight pants. He had never wanted someone so badly. He groaned, unsuccessful at satisfying himself. "Please," he begged, ashamed at how desperate he sounded in front of his enemy.

Sokka's hand found their way to the front of Zuko's pants. At the touch, Zuko squirmed. He reached up and grabbed handful of Sokka's hair, roughly bringing the warrior's mouth to his own. They kissed, this time more passionately than before.

Zuko had never felt better. The warrior had skills that no bender would ever have. The more their hands explored and the more their mouths kissed, the more he wanted. Everything about Sokka was perfect. Zuko had never been intimate with anyone, and he found himself wanting the boy before him more than anything.

It was wrong, and they both knew it was. They were two teenage boys taking each other in an alleyway of a strange city. They were sworn enemies, and yet that night they were together. One wouldn't call them "lovers" because they didn't love each other. No. They didn't love each other; they were two sex deprived, curious teenage boys. They needed each other physically. That was how Zuko would reassure himself.

Yet, when they left there was a certain intimacy about their departure. Sokka had stood, legs shaking and sweating, and helped Zuko stand as well. Their clothes were barely on, and their hair was a mess. Sokka's had long come out of its usual ponytail. They nodded to each other. "Lee," Sokka said hoarsely.

"Sokka."

Then they went their separate ways.


End file.
